Oak Grange Care Home - Barchester Healthcare

10/10/2025

🎉 Awel-Y-Mor Celebrates Excellent Ratings 🎉

Awel-Y-Mor Care Home in , Swansea passed a recent Care Inspectorate Wales inspection with ‘Excellent’ ratings - the best possible ratings – across the board, after being praised for operating a safe, well-maintained, caring and well-led service.

The CIW report stated that there was a strong sense of belonging and teamwork in the home, nurtured by a very well-respected management team that encourages a positive culture.

Highlighted in the report was that the care staff knew residents well and were dedicated and driven to offering them the best possible care, going above and beyond to do so.

A relative commented: “I can’t speak highly enough about the place, they are so good at the little things, all the residents come first here. My loved one has a good life here.”

Our CEO, Dr Pete Calveley, visited Awel-Y-Mor to congratulate Rachael, General Manager, and her team on the home’s Excellent ratings and award every member of staff a £500 voucher to celebrate their achievement.

Huge congratulations to everyone at Awel-Y-Mor – what a fantastic achievement! 👏

Here are some of the highlights from the day.

08/10/2025

⭐ We’re Finalists for the National Care Awards ⭐

We’re delighted to share that Barchester Healthcare has been shortlisted in the Large Care Home Group category for this year’s National Care Awards.

The National Care Awards are the largest awards recognising excellence in the UK care sector, celebrating the very best people and companies across the sector.

A huge congratulations to Aila Evangelista from Atfield House Care Home in , London, a finalist in the Care Registered Nurse of the Year category, and to the entire team at Atfield House Care Home - Barchester Healthcare, also shortlisted for Dignity and Respect Care Home of the Year. 👏

We’re so proud of all our teams who work tirelessly to provide the very best care for residents, patients and their families every single day.

The winners will be announced on 7th November at Park Plaza London – good luck to all the finalists!

07/10/2025

🖌️ Pinetree Residents Get Creative with Mosaic-Making 🎨

As part of their first home anniversary celebrations, and together with volunteers from partner company CBRE UK, colleagues and residents at Pinetree Care Home in set to work on a joint project to commemorate the occasion.

Residents were asked what they would like to do to celebrate and decided to create a beautiful mosaic sign for the home.

The project was a wonderful collaboration that everyone at the home could join in with. The end result is a fitting tribute to the home, which now hangs in reception for all the staff, residents and visitors to enjoy.

A resident commented: “It is so wonderful to try new hobbies, I had never made a mosaic before but I absolutely loved it and have been bitten by the bug! I can’t wait to have another go and see what else we can make. I really enjoyed sitting down with everyone else and working on something together, it gave us all a fantastic sense of achievement.”

What a beautiful mosaic! Well done to all involved. 👏

06/10/2025

🧑‍🚒This morning our lovely residents were treated to a visit from the our local fire service, their visit was enjoyed by all and we cant thank them enough for taking time out of their busy day to spend chatting with us, we hope they enjoyed the breakfast that we served them.🧑‍🚒

06/10/2025

🗣Calling all staff, Career's Day at Oak Grange today 11am until 2pm🗣

Would you like to be like Becca?

Becca started at Oak grange in May 2022 as a general assistant, Becca was quickly noticed for her hard work and was offered an apprenticeship through the company in January 2024 and is currently working through her business administration NVQ level 3 qualification.

Come along today and have a chat with Emma our training manager regarding available options within the company.

05/10/2025

Yesterday at Oak Grange Care Home we had a very special visit from the Owl Man! 🦉✨

He brought along three beautiful owls and even a skunk, much to everyone’s delight. The residents loved learning all about their habitats, behaviours, and adventures.

It was a truly magical experience that sparked lots of smiles, stories, and curiosity. 💕 Thank you to the Owl Man for bringing such wonderful creatures to share with us!



To find out more about life at Oak Grange please visit their website: www.barchester.com/home/oak-grange-care-ho

04/10/2025

Last Saturday was such a special day at Chester Racecourse for the Walk for Families! 🌟 Residents and staff from Oak Grange Care Home joined together to cheer on the High Sheriff of Chester as she took part in the sponsored walk.

We were so proud to sing alongside the Live the Beat choir 🎶, who put on a fantastic performance and were even presented with an award by the High Sheriff herself! 🏅💙

It was a wonderful event filled with community spirit, laughter, and music. Thank you to everyone who came together to make the day so memorable!



To find out more about life at Oak Grange please visit their website: www.barchester.com/home/oak-grange-care-home

03/10/2025

♥️ The Power of Music: a heart-warming moment at Ochil Care Home ♥️

Colleagues and residents at Ochil Care Home in were over the moon to uncover a beautiful piece of history when they heard an original recording by one of their much-loved residents, Wilma, who used to be a professional singer years ago.

Wilma’s husband, Donald, had lovingly kept the original master copy of Wilma’s debut album which was recorded in 1996. Staff at the home helped Donald transfer the precious recording onto a CD to preserve it.

Everyone at the home watched the heart-warming moment when Wilma, who is living with dementia, realised the recording being played was her voice from almost thirty years ago. Her reaction was absolutely magical as her memory of that time in her life came flooding back.

What’s more, the video of that extraordinary moment showing the power of music to connect, has now been viewed over 65,000 times.

Such a beautiful moment! ✨

Ochil Care Home - Barchester Healthcare

03/10/2025

😍Meet the Team😍

This is Ali.

Ali joined our amazing team here at Oak Grange 6 years ago, she is a credit our home making sure housekeeping runs smoothly. Ali has a passion for dementia, you will often find her chatting with the residents on the memory lane communities while she is collecting the laundry, nothing is ever to much to ask of her, she is an absolute diamond.

01/10/2025

🎉💜 Today we celebrated International Day of Older Persons in style at Oak Grange Care Home!

Our wonderful residents and team came together for , filling the home with music, laughter, and joy. 🥁💃 From singing along with the children, to dancing, every moment reminded us of the importance of cherishing life, community, and connection.

Thank you to everyone who made the day so special – it was a true celebration of our residents and the incredible stories and wisdom they share with us every day. 🌟

Here’s to living life to the fullest – at every age! 💖

01/10/2025

🥨🍻 Oktoberfest Celebrations 🥨🍻

Oktoberfest was a huge hit with residents, patients, families and visitors this year.

Our care homes and hospitals joined in the celebrations with themed decorations, live entertainment, community events and plenty of fun.

Our talented chefs and hospitality colleagues prepared a selection of pretzels and Bavarian dishes, all complemented by some refreshing cold beers.

It was a day to remember - here are some of our favourite moments.

30/09/2025

☕💚 World’s Biggest Coffee Morning ☕💚

Colleagues, residents, patients, families and friends across the country came together to enjoy charity coffee mornings and bake sales, raising funds and awareness for Macmillan Cancer Support.

Our care homes and hospitals hosted a variety of community events, inviting everyone to catch up over a cuppa and a slice of something delicious, all for a great cause.

Residents and patients enjoyed spending time with friends and relatives, and members of the local community. Our talented chefs baked plenty of cakes, biscuits and pastries for everyone to sample.

The events were a great success – thank you to everyone who took part and helped support this important cause.

Here are some of our favourite moments. ✨

30/09/2025

🥊Our residents have enjoyed another session with the lovely Emma from Coached by Crompton, our residents really enjoy the sessions as Emma matches their physical ability and encourages them to push themselves. 🥊

We cant wait to have her back next week.

To find out more about life at Oak Grange, please visit our website: www.barchester.com/home/oak-grange-care-home

26/09/2025

In recognition of Macmillan’s Coffee Morning, we hosted our very own Coffee morning for friends, families and community members to raise funds for the charity.
Our home was specially decorated for the occasion, our talented chef prepared a variety of cakes, cupcakes and delicious treats following Macmillan Cancer Support’s recipes and we all got involved in fun-filled sessions and activities.
We all had a wonderful day raising awareness and funds for this lovely cause.
To find out more about life at our home, please visit our website: www.barchester.com/home/oak-grange-care-home.

25/09/2025

🎶 Musical Afternoon at Oak Grange! 🎶

Our residents had a wonderful time today enjoying live entertainment from John Hughes – the Singing Farmer! 🧑‍🌾🎤

His cheerful songs and infectious energy had everyone smiling, clapping, and even singing along. Music truly brings people together, and today was no exception. 💛

Thank you, John, for brightening our day and filling Oak Grange with music and laughter! 🎶😊



To find out more about life at Oak Grange please visit their website: www.barchester.com/home/oak-grange-care-home

24/09/2025

🖌️ Virtual V&A Make-along 🎨

In celebration of National Day of Arts in Care Homes, residents and patients across the country enjoyed a wonderful V&A Virtual Make-along experience with Holly from the V&A Learning team and designer-artist Rafin Jannat.

Taking inspiration from the South Asia Gallery at the museum, everyone had the chance to experiment with paints and pigments made from everyday ingredients, creating their own unique artworks.

It was a calming, creative experience that everyone truly enjoyed. A big thank you to the Victoria and Albert Museum team for leading such an inspiring session!

Here are some of our favourite highlights. ✨

National Activity Providers Association

24/09/2025

🌾Harvest Festival🌾

This year at Oak Grange we are organising a food drive for our local food bank, we are asking for any food goods/toiletries to please be donated by the Monday the 6th of October so that our residents can take a trip out in our minibus to deliver them to our local food bank in Chester.

Everyone please meet Sam, our residents got really creative at the weekend and enjoyed making our Harvest Festival Mascot.

To find out more about life at Oak Grange Care Home please visit our website: www.barchester.com/home/oak/grange-care-home

22/09/2025

⭐ We’re Finalists in the UK Customer Experience Awards ⭐

It’s awards season and we’re thrilled to share that our talented Customer Experience Team has been shortlisted in not one, but two categories in the prestigious UK Customer Experience Awards:

💡 Best Use of Customer Insight
💻 Best Use of Technology

We’re proud that Barchester Healthcare is the only company from the health sector to be recognised in either of these categories. The winners will be announced at Wembley in October – wish us luck!

Our nomination for Best Use of Customer Insight comes from our Tell Barchester survey, which gathers invaluable feedback each year from more than 13,500 residents, patients and their families. Every single piece of feedback helps us shape and improve the care and services we provide.

In the Best Use of Technology category, our new Connex CRM system, powered by Salesforce, has been recognised for transforming how we manage every customer interaction – making the care journey seamless.

We’re so proud of our team and grateful to everyone who shared their feedback with us.

22/09/2025

We bring a bit of magic to our home to engage our residents and stimulate their senses.
Our Rainbow Table allows residents to explore a variety of sensory interactive games that research shows has a positive effect on those living with dementia.
To find out more about the technology, please visit: https://www.barchester.com/types-care/dementia-care/magic-tables

22/09/2025

It’s not too late to share your feedback.

Our annual customer satisfaction survey, Tell Barchester is still open!

There’s still time to provide feedback on the care and service received by residents, patients, their friends and family. We love listening to your feedback, and use this to improve and provide the best experience possible.

If you’ve not received your email invitation, please check your junk/spam folder or speak to our team. You can also complete the survey at anytime in our homes and hospitals by using QR codes on display.

All the team really appreciate your time sharing how you feel about life at Barchester.

21/09/2025

World Alzheimer’s Day 2025 – Why It Matters More Than Ever 💜

World Alzheimer’s Day, observed annually on 21st September, is a global event dedicated to raising awareness about Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.

With nearly 1 million people in the UK living with dementia, understanding, support and research have never been more important.

Alzheimer’s Day serves as a powerful reminder of the challenges faced by individuals and families living with Alzheimer’s, and the importance of early diagnosis and intervention.

At Barchester, our commitment to dementia care goes beyond World Alzheimer’s Day. We strive to make a difference every day, providing compassionate support, innovative programmes, and expert care for residents, patients and families.

To find out more, please see our latest blog here: https://www.barchester.com/help-and-advice/world-alzheimers-day-2025-why-it-matters-more-ever-barchester

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16/09/2025

⭐ Happy National Housekeeping Week ⭐

This week we’re celebrating the fantastic housekeeping teams across our care homes and hospitals.

It’s a wonderful opportunity to recognise their dedication to keeping everything spotless and creating a welcoming environment for residents, patients, families and visitors.

Thank you to all our colleagues for their continuous hard work and support – you truly make a difference every day.

12/09/2025

🎉 Lotus Manor is Now Open 🎉

We’re excited to share that Lotus Manor Care Home in has opened its doors in style, with a Grand Opening performed by the Deputy Mayor of Guildford, Councillor Jane Tyson, in front of invited guests from the local community.

Our CEO, Dr Pete Calveley, and General Manager, Candy Guo, hosted the event and invited guests to view the stunning new 64-bed care home.

Designed with residents’ comfort in mind, Lotus Manor Care Home will offer residential support, respite stays and specialist dementia care, all delivered by a dedicated and passionate team of trained professionals.

Take a look at some of our favourite moments from the event. ✨

11/09/2025

🚑 Celebrating Emergency Services Day 🚒👏

Residents, patients, colleagues and visitors marked this year’s Emergency Services Day in style, recognising the contribution of local emergency services, volunteers and heroes.

Our homes and hospitals hosted a variety of community events, from coffee mornings to afternoon garden parties, inviting emergency services personnel to join for hot drinks and delicious home-made cakes.

Everyone had a wonderful time, visiting local emergency services sites, engaging in conversations and sharing inspirational stories of emergency services heroes, both past and present.